Now Commenting On:

Nix tabbed as Rox's best spring player

Nix tabbed as Rox's best spring player

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Rookie Jayson Nix, who won the competition for the starting second-base job, was awarded the fifth annual Abby Greer Award as the Rockies' 2008 Spring Training Player of the Year.

Nix entered Wednesday afternoon's game with the D-backs, the final one at Hi Corbett Field, with a .273 batting average, three home runs and four RBIs.

Awards are becoming common for Nix. After leading Team USA to the International Baseball Federation World Cup gold medal, Nix was named the tournament's most outstanding player.

The Rockies signed veteran Marcus Giles to compete for the second-base job, and gave shots to Jeff Baker, Clint Barmes, Omar Quintanilla and Ian Stewart. But when Nix turned hot a couple of weeks ago, he ran away with the job.

The Abby Greer Award, named for a 6-year-old who was killed in an accident following a Rockies game on Aug. 26, 2002, has gone to Luis Gonzalez (2004), Cory Sullivan (2005), Stewart (2006) and Troy Tulowitzki (2007). The Rockies reserve the award for a player who has come through the player development system.

Left-hander Mark Redman and right-hander Josh Towers each threw in Minor League games Wednesday. Towers gave up four runs on eight hits, wth six strikeouts and no walks in seven innings , against Triple-A Colorado Springs. Redman gave up seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in five innings agianst Double-A Tulsa. Also, lefty reliever Brian Fuentes pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout against Colorado Springs.

Redman is believed to have an inside shot at the No. 5 spot over Towers, who can be sent to Colorado Springs to begin the season.

Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.